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Whoa….did I do that?

03 Mar

Whoa….did I do that?

1 John 1:8-10   If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

I was talking yesterday with someone and they shared how some people they know think they are not sinners. Before I even knew it I had spouted off a paraphrase of this scripture. I guess I don’t get it; how could anyone believe they do not sin? That would be a pride so lofty they would likely consider themselves heavenly; yet were captive of the demon below. Is that belief truly out there? Denial of God, denial of Christ, many other roads of religion; but is there a sect of humanity that elevates themselves to that level? Even when I was my farthest from God in a life steep in sin, I had that conviction; knowing I was doing wrong, but denying it’s impact.

When you begin to research this epistle of John, you read of the blends of religions that were steering people away from the Gospel of Christ. There were blended cultures that divided God; divided Christ life, and death. They did not believe that a holy God could create matter; they did not believe Christ truly died on the cross; they did not believe that Christ was fully God and fully man. John was an eyewitness to this and he testifies of it. 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us. The apostle John and Christ did have a special relationship; John was the apostle whom Christ loved. John was always close to Christ in His most intimate moments.

There must come a point in your life you feel these sin convictions. These convictions should lead to Salvation, but the repentance does not stop there. We are still living lives as sinners, but we are living lives assured of our salvation in our faith in the power of the atoning sacrifice at the Cross. We should feel guilt immediately upon sin that steers us to confess that sin. Matthew Henry pens the repentant life so well: “The Christian life is a life of continued repentance, humiliation for and the mortification of sin, of continual faith in, thankfulness for, and love to the Redeemer, and hopeful joyfully expectation of a day of glorious redemption, in which the believer shall be fully and finally acquitted, and sin abolished forever.” YES! Come Lord Jesus and rescue us from this body of sin. Revelation 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

 
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Posted by on March 3, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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That light hurts my eyes

31 Dec

That light hurts my eyes

John 1:4-5    In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

God woke me up early this morning. I wish I could say it was pleasant, but it was far from it. I woke up in a self-reflection and a deep conviction of sin. I lay there thinking and God kept pointing out sin in my life. The more I reflected; the more He revealed. In my pride I feel like I have come a long way from my old self; but God showed me the journey has only begun. I looked back at recent years in almost a defensive plea; but God knows me and shows me the present struggles; He presses where it hurts to reveal that sin. God knows that my pride will grow if He does not humble me; He knows my struggles. He humbled me in a great way this morning.

The one whom Christ loved was the Apostle John. Their relationship seemed to be special in some way. John spends his gospel pointing to Christ’s deity; that Christ was God. John speaks of Christ as the Light many times in his Gospel. Light will dis-spell darkness, the two cannot co-exist. This light that lives within us not only brings eternal life, but also reveals our sin to us. This light shines in our darkness, and our darkness is revealed to us. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There is no point in your life as a Christian that you get to the point of no need for Christ. When He begins to point out your sin to you He is confirming your need for Him. The conviction of sin is a powerful tool in the work of Sanctification by God in your life.

I had thought I might write of the reflections of 2012 on the last day of it today. I found myself in a reflection and need for a Savior today; a need for a daily deeper walk with God. I found myself humbled by God’s grace and thankful for His mercy. I found myself wanting to draw closer to Him as a result of what He has shown me in my need for Him this morning. The Godliest man I know,  and one of my best friends, has shown me how to emulate Christ. You cannot be around him for five minutes and not know that he is a man of God. My prayer is for God to continue to press me where it hurts, and to mold me into what He desires; to show the reflection of His Son in me. The apostle Paul puts it well: Ephesians 3:8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,. I pray that 2013 brings less of me and more of Him

 
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Posted by on December 31, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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What did you do yesterday?

02 Dec

What did you do yesterday?

1 John 2:6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Take a look back at yesterday in your mind. Just for one day take a good look at your whole day. From the time you got up, until your head hit the pillow last night or early this morning. What were the activities; how were they prioritized? How was your conduct and speech throughout the day? At any point in the day could someone point to you and know that you are a Christian? Would everything yesterday point the opposite direction? These self exams can be a painful process that the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins. He puts mine in BOLD FONT when I humbly take these retrospectives. The Apostle John clearly states our daily duty as a follower of Christ in one simple sentence above.

My study Bible has the heading, “The Test of Knowing Him” for 1 John 2:3-11. These scriptures speak of keeping the commandments He has given us. 1 John 2:3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. The desire of your heart should be to emulate Christ. To be a better person today than you were yesterday. To show the love you have for Him to everyone at every opportunity. When you live with the first and greatest commandment sealed in your heart; this is your hearts desire. Luke 10:27 So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ “ The last part of that scripture may be the hard part; loving others. In today’s selfish society showing love and grace can be difficult; but how difficult is it for God to do the same for us?

We will never live a life of perfection; we will fail in countless areas every day. Even when we seek to do good all day we are in constant battles of lust, envy, and great sins in our minds. It is not these sins that condemn us if we have a heart for God. God knows our heart, and knows if these are a battle we face, or a sin we hide. He knows our level of love for our fellow man, or how we hide it. Psalm 44:21 Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. Pray for that desire; spend time in God’s Word; soak yourself in the things of God and you will begin to emulate Christ. At the root of it is love, and the deeper your love for Him, the more you will find you reflected Him yesterday and the days to come.

 
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Posted by on December 2, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Tell them the truth

29 Nov

Tell them the truth

2 Timothy 4:3-4   For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

“Yea, I know but the truth hurts; I don’t want to embarrass them; I don’t want to hurt their feelings.” You need to tell them. Are you a true friend? True friends tell you the hard truths about yourselves; the painful things that are ignored otherwise. I sure wish at many times looking back on my life I had true friends to rescue me from painful circumstances. We so many times think we may be protecting someone by ignoring something, when in reality we are furthering the damage. These people in your life become the only ones in your life that matter, when truth is revealed.

Paul was trying to encourage Timothy to remain true to God’s Word and His Gospel. To preach the Truth at all times. Paul was so concerned that Timothy stay grounded, he emphasized this by using the word truth 11 times in his two short letters to Timothy. There were so many false teachers of that day that could lead others astray by filling their ears with what they wanted to hear. A feel good gospel; no pain all gain. Their is power in the conviction of the Holy Spirit; a power of  conviction and repentance of sin and change. The Apostle John speaks of this power; John 16:8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

Our society, even our churches have become soft; lacking the spine to take a stand and tell the truth. . Their is pain and consequences in this world; there is a need of the power of the Holy Spirit to tell us these truths that hurt as when a true friend does. Everything is not as it seems; everything must be revealed; everything may hurt. When we come to know the truth through sound doctrine and the power of the Spirit; there is spiritual growth within us. Paul commanded Timothy to remain grounded; to preach the whole truth, not just selected pieces that make the listeners feel good about themselves and life. 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. “You cannot grow in Christ without pain”, Dr. Michael Youssef said yesterday in his radio broadcast. Do you only tell others what you think they want to hear? If so are you their friend?

 
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Posted by on November 29, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Whack! Chip chip chip…..

05 Nov

Whack! Chip chip chip……

1 Peter 5:6-7   Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Yesterday Dana gave her testimony to our small group. It was a heartfelt cry from a woman who was seeing God work in her life. I told everyone I wanted to hear it too; I had only witnessed half her life of it. As I listening intently, she opened up of pains of death, family struggles, personality and career struggles. I began to notice a common thread in our testimonies, that until I heard her say it, I guess had only been noticed. Her testimony is also rooted in pride. This morning as this scripture above was on my phone inbox, I felt God open my eyes to our similarities even more. God has designed the changes in the securities of both our careers & lives to strip away that pride.

The Apostle John points us to this; to the draw of living for a temporal world vs living for an eternal God. 1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world. When your drive is the pride of your ability to reach the goal, the goal is useless and laden in sin. The walls that you build, the roads that you pave to reach what drives you take your eyes off the One who is providing the means to attain it. Everything you think you can do; all that you accomplish that is not for the kingdom of God will fade away. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

God has humbled both Dana and myself the past couple of years. He has stripped away what we held dear; taken away what we placed above Him. He is showing us what truly matters, and showing us our sins in that pride of life. Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom. God may bring His hammer and chisel to chip away at what you consider your rock of pride. He took away my ability in physical strength of my right arm. He took away Dana’s career that she worked for since childhood. God got our attention, and now our attention is focused solely on God. Every day that you spend puffed up in the goals you attain; may be a day closer to God pointing out your sin of pride. The realization of that sin, with a humble repentant heart before Him in a plea for forgiveness, could prevent the hammer and chisel effects. The realization of how big God is, and how small you are, is a life changing step for the remainder of your time here and into eternity.

 
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Posted by on November 5, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Night of Worship

13 Oct

Night of Worship

Revelation 22:8-9   Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

I have just completed a class that included three weeks in the study of the book of Revelation. The last book in the bible is a book of prophecy from the Apostle John who was granted a vision by God into the future events when God pours out His judgement on earth. An angel escorted John through the vision, and John was so humbled he was led to fall at the angels feet and worship him. The angel quickly told John of his error and pointed him back to God; they both were brothers in the faith, lovers of Christ, and worshipped only God.

The book of Revelation is for our benefit for this glimpse into the future. It is a complex book full of symbolism, but it speaks of the return of Christ as a central theme. Revelation may be full of war and pain to the lost and those that do not turn to God; but Revelation is also full of the hope and glimpse into heaven we receive as believers in chapters 21. Revelation 21:21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. So magnificent that it’s doorway is a pearl; do you grasp that ideas of natures rare specks of sand creating small pearls; yet the Creator makes the gateway of His (and yours) future home with them, and paves the street in pure gold. Interested?

We had an awesome night of worship last evening at CCC where the majority were fully engaged in the praise and worship of our God. It is so moving to see all the hands in the air, and many tears on the cheeks where the realization and impact of some song stirs your heart. You realize your sin; you realize Christ died to save you from it; you realize your life without or before Him, you realize your future with Him. You are moved to raise your hands in praise for thanksgiving for the grace you did not deserve. You are thankful for the promises of the book of Revelation, and not the fear of Revelation. Revelation 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

 
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Posted by on October 13, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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The time is near

21 Aug

The time is near

Revelation 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants–things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

The book of Revelation is the most fascinating and the most misunderstood book in the bible. It is an ‘apocalyptic’ literature, or an unveiling, or disclosure. So this book is about Christ, from Christ as the author. The apostle John was given these visions and words to pen for us to read. The summary of this book is found in verse 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. For the “time is near’. You must realize as a believer in Christ the state of the world around you, and you must realize the importance of these days to share the Gospel of Christ to those around you who do not know Him.

We live in a fallen world, and the world’s sin seems to be escalating again. Throughout history their have been evil men who did horrible things, yet society condemned them for it. Society as a whole seems less likely to condemn now, but to blame and let it pass on the merits of where that blame is placed. There seems to be less power in the condemnation of judgement. The book of Revelation speaks to that coming judgement upon Christ’s return, and the eternal sentence. Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

Is your name written in the Book of Life? Do you know Christ as your Savior from the pit of Hell as the only Way(John 14:6)? Do you confess him before men? Matthew 10:32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. You cannot simply deny these coming days, for the book of Revelation speaks clearly of them. All roads do not lead to God and heaven; and living as a good person without the understanding of the Gospel will lead you down the path of destruction. The days you spend here on earth are the paths you prepare for eternity. The time is near; are you prepared?

 
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Posted by on August 21, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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